Raymond E. 'Ray' Majerus (1924 – December 17, 1987) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

labor leader who served as secretary-treasurer of the

United Automobile Workers The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers (UAW), is an American labor union that represents workers in the United States (including Puerto Rico) ...

. From 1954 to 1960, Majerus was a key figure in the Kohler strike.

Biography

Majerus began working for

Kohler Co. Kohler Co., founded in 1873 by John Michael Kohler, is an American manufacturing company based in Kohler, Wisconsin. Kohler is best known for its plumbing products, but the company also manufactures furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and g ...

in the early 1950s. In 1952, Majerus led a

wildcat strike The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...

for which he was fired. He remained involved in labor organization efforts at Kohler, however, and played a role in the decision to affiliate the company-supported Kohler Workers Association with the

. When the U.A.W. won its first contract with Kohler in 1953, one of the provisions insisted that Majerus be barred from working at the plant. Despite the ban, Majerus served as a union representative and was a key figure in the Kohler strike that lasted from 1954 to 1960. The union eventually won the strike, and Kohler was forced to give workers back pay. In 1965, while working as a U.A.W. staff member in the Wisconsin-Minnesota region, Majerus traveled to

Selma, Alabama Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, in the Black Belt region of south central Alabama and extending to the west. Located on the banks of the Alabama River, the city has a population of 17,971 as of the 2020 census. About ...

to march for civil rights. Majerus was elected director of the Wisconsin-Minnesota region of the U.A.W. in 1972. Eight years later, in 1980, he was elected secretary-treasurer of the

, the second-highest position in the union. In 1982, Majerus sought the presidency of the

. He was an early front-runner, but ultimately lost to

Owen Bieber Owen Frederick Bieber (;Sawyer, "In Troubled Detroit, the UAW to Follow 'a Guy You Can Trust'," ''The Washington Post,'' November 22, 1982. December 28, 1929 – February 17, 2020) was an American labor union activist. He was president of the Uni ...

. In addition to his union positions, Majerus also served as a member of the

Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the governing body of the United States Democratic Party. The committee coordinates strategy to support Democratic Party candidates throughout the country for local, state, and national office, as well a ...

from Wisconsin. He died on December 16, 1987, of a heart attack.

Personal life

He was the father of basketball coach

Rick Majerus Richard Raymond Majerus (February 17, 1948 – December 1, 2012) was an American basketball coach and TV analyst. He coached at Marquette University (1983–1986), Ball State University (1987–1989), the University of Utah (1989–2004), and S ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Majerua, Raymond 1924 births 1987 deaths United Auto Workers people American trade union leaders Democratic National Committee people